Fran & Fred Brockman are sponsoring this week's Newslink in honor of the birth of Brooke Miriam Netzer.
Announcements & Upcoming Events
Insights into Megilat Ruth with Rabbi Shaffer: Thursday, April 28 8:30pm - Series sponsored by the Friedner family in memory of Robbie's parents Zoom Link - Zoom ID: 88211049415 Shmulik Linetsky Bar Mitzvah: Saturday, April 30 8:30am Outdoor Minyan
The Art of Prayer with Chazzan Moskowitz: Sunday, May 1 10am at SOI in person, open to Men and Women
Deep Look at Sefer Bereishit: Monday, May 2 following Mincha/Maariv, Hybrid Class in the SOI Kiddush Room or on Zoom - Zoom Link
Erev Shabbat, April 29: 13th Day Omer (Nisan 28) 6:45am Shacharit 6:26pm Plag HaMincha (Earliest Candle Lighting) 7:00pm Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv 7:34pm Candle Lighting Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום ארבעה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות לעמר
Shabbat, April 30: Shabbat Mevarchim, 14th Day Omer, Achrei Mot (Nisan 29) 8:00am 8AM Minyan 8:30am Shmulik Linetsky Bar Mitzvah (Outdoor Minyan) 8:30am Sephardic Minyan 9:00am Main Minyan 9:30am Latest Shema 10:00am Youth Groups 10:30am Tot Shabbat No Gemara Shiur this week 7:25pm Mincha 7:50pm Rabbi's Parsha Shiur 8:25pm Maariv 8:38pm Havdalah Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום חמשה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות ויום אחד לעמר
Sunday, May 1: Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, 15th Day Omer (Nisan 30) 7:00am Shacharit 8:00am Shacharit 10:00am Art of Prayer with Chazzan Moskowitz @ SOI 7:40pm Mincha/Maariv Tonight's Sefirah Count Is: היום ששה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות ושני ימים לעמר
I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well. This week, I share an excerpt from an article by Rabbi Menachem Weiman entitled 'Boundary Power', about how the things that we do to limit ourselves and others actually help us to succeed in the long run.
The existence of the universe is an act of love from the Almighty. It is an expression of His infinite desire to give. Every molecule is a benefit to mankind. Yet at the same time there is a mixture of negativity, boundaries and judgment in life. If God only wants what's best for us, why do we encounter so many difficulties? Because without the limitations, we would be swallowed up by the "light."
My kids enjoy candy, and they don't enjoy brushing their teeth. Should I shower love upon them by giving them as much candy as they want? Should I allow them never to brush their teeth? Of course not. Children don't understand consequences; that's one of the things learned through maturity. Love without boundaries isn't always good for us.
When Aaron's two sons went into the holiest part of the Temple to make an offering that hadn't been commanded, they were yearning for a higher level of spirituality. They were doing a "holy" act in a holy place, yet they were punished. Was it a punishment or merely a consequence of getting too close to the fire?
If you love the Queen of England and rush out of the crowd to give her a hug, you will get jumped on by guards and wrestled to the ground. An expression of love has to be done in a specific way or it may be detrimental.
Aaron's sons did not ask; they went ahead on their own without seeking guidance, and met a fate they wish they hadn't. In order to love, we need wisdom. [...]
Spiritual Exercise: Look over your week and see if there is any area of life in which you are seeking a higher level of pleasure or accomplishment. Think about what "boundaries" you might impose on yourself in order to put your internal power more under your control.
Following are the Board updates from the April 26th meeting. Building Committee – The long awaited front entrance renovation will hopefully be starting after Shavuot. Chesed Committee - We raised over $7,000 for matanot l'evyonim which was distributed both within and outside the community. For Maos Chitim we raised over $8,500 and we also distributed nonperishable KFP groceries through our partnership with JFCS to about a dozen families in the community. Following Pesach the committee will meet to discuss long term goals and general fundraising. Education – We have four new learning opportunities: (1) Art of Prayer: Development, Meaning, and Chanting with Chazzan Moshe Moskowitz, Sunday at 10am beginning May 1st. (2) Insights into Megilat Ruth with Rabbi Ian Shaffer, four part series starting Thursday, April 28 at 8:30 on Zoom (this will be the final series Rabbi Shaffer will be giving while he is living in Cherry Hill, as the Shaffers will be making Aliyah at the end of May). (3) Halachic Insights with Rabbi Hirsch Hollander, Shabbat mornings following 8am Minyan. (4) Semichas Chaver Chaburah with Rabbi Davies, starting mid-May Wednesday evenings following Mincha/Maariv, in person men's class with registration required. Looking forward to planning for Shavuot. Finance Committee -- End of fiscal year bills went out this week Fundraising -- Our biggest task is assisting with the gala and we have been soliciting ads from individuals, businesses and vendors. How can you help? 1) Purchase your tickets and ads to the gala! 2) If you have a business you can ask to place an ad, please do so. We have boilerplate language you can use. 3) Tell your friends you will be there and encourage them to come and have a good time with you! GALA - May 23rd is approaching quickly. We have a band, we have honorees, we have a caterer, we have a venue. What we need now is YOU. Early bird sign-up ends May 1. Here are some easy ways to support SOI and our major fundraiser: 1. Register for the dinner at https://www.soicherryhill.org/form/gala2022 2. Submit an ad or solicit ads from whomever you do business with – dry cleaner, jeweler, food store, hairdresser, dentist, doctor, etc. 3. Provide raffle items (ex. Include providing a skill to donate or an item to give away.) 4. Event volunteers are needed (phone calls, set up and clean up, and more!) Our committee chairs are Vicki Miltz who can be reached at vickayvickay@gmail.com and TL Weinberg who can be reached at seanweinberg1@gmail.com. Kitchen - Updates to the kitchen include getting new convection ovens to replace the current "pizza" ovens, a new prep area and to improve the plumbing due to a generous donation specific to the kitchen. We also have four items to sell - a drain counter cabinet, ice holder, pizza ovens and coffee pot. All are listed on Facebook Marketplace. There will be two cooking events coming up - Kugel Making and Delicious Desserts. Marketing, Communication, Advertising, and Technology Committee -- Updates to the newslink, classified ads and lobby board are pending. Ritual Committee -- With Purim and Pesach behind us, we will start Shavuot learning programming discussions. Security Committee -- An updated Threat, Vulnerability, Risk Assessment (TVRA) was conducted by Sean Redmond of Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey Security. The NJ Office of Homeland Security grant application will probably be open in mid-May with a one week application window. We are looking for someone to help Jenni Fischman with the application. Welcoming Committee -- There are a couple new families moving into Cherry Hill in the very near future. Please continue to introduce yourself to newcomers and welcome people in. If you are looking for a list of contact info for those individuals new to our community, let the welcoming committee know.
There is much pride and satisfaction knowing one has improved the quality of Sons of Israel. Reach out, get involved, and be a part of this great team.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Gala on May 23rd, please reach out to Vicki Miltz,vickayvickay@gmail.com, or TL Weinberg, seanweinberg1@gmail.com, Committee Chairs.
Sid Goldberg President of SOI 1999-2003 & 2004-2005 & 2007-2008 Sid holds the record for most years as President of SOI - 6 years intermittently. He accomplished many things during his term, foremost, making a resoluton to separate Politz and SOI. Sid is still the go-to person knowing all the ins and outs of SOI's facility and timer system.
In 1965, Yale University undergraduate Frederick W. Smith wrote a term paper that invented an industry and changed what’s possible. In the paper, he laid out the logistical challenges facing pioneering firms in the information technology industry. He proposed a system specifically designed to accommodate time-sensitive shipments such as medicine, computer parts, and electronics. The paper received just an average grade. In August 1971, Smith bought controlling interest in Arkansas Aviation Sales, located in Little Rock, Arkansas. While operating his new firm, he saw firsthand how difficult it was to get packages and other airfreight delivered within one to two days. With his term paper in mind, Smith set out to find a better way. Thus the idea for Federal Express was born: A company that has revolutionized global business practices and that now defines speed and reliability.
FINANCIAL/MEMBERSHIP UPDATE The end of the fiscal year financial statements were sent out this week. We would appreciate it if you would clear up any outstanding balances you may have. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Heshy Chaitoff or Michael Partnow. Thank you!
Mazel tov to Rabbi Michael and Sharona Linetsky on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Shmulik.
Mazel tov to Karine & Steven Koloski on their son, Natan's Aufruf & upcoming marriage to Amanda Dryer Mazel tov to Fran & Fred Brockman on the birth of their granddaughter, Brooke Miriam, Bayla Miriam Davida and to the ecstatic parents Brianna (Brockman) & Uri Netzer & big brother Eli Dov.
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped us transport and bury our shamos this past Sunday at Crescent Memorial Park.
Rabbi Davies Hoosh Sadiky Eric Klein Ayal Klein Yair Klein Dovi Meles
Bob Moskowitz Donna Moskowitz Gerry Reiser Paul Berlin Ron Zanger Guillaume Schpektor
Thank you to all those who helped to make Pesach so special at Sons of Israel. A special thank you to Chaim Kress for his help with all the preparation of the Torahs during the Chag.
Thank you to Robbie and Debbie Friedner for sponsoring Rabbi Shaffer's series on Megillat Ruth in memory of Robbie's parents.
A big thank you to Bill Jungreis, Debbie Fineberg, Harvey Chaitoff, Jeff Liss, Seth Cohen, Avi Rynderman, Baila Silverman and Hector from OPS for providing security on Yom Tov and Shabbos.
Want to get thanked for helping protect our community? Sign up to help with security and your name will appear here. Remember,
It’s Your Shul, Help Protect It!
Florence Axelrod – Fruma bas Sarah Estelle Lerner- Esther Ethel bas Rochel Andy Rauer – Avigayal bas Peshe Ella Sheryl Malamud Amy Goldwasser Gavriel Yehuda ben Chaya Sarah Eytan Raphael Shraga ben Dina Sarah David Partnow - David Avram ben Tilla Razel Robert Shapiro - Doniel-Avraham ben Hannah Aaron Moshe ben Ruth Yosef Simcha Chaim Ben Sarah Chana Gaela bas Pinina Jackie Nussbaum - Eta Ruchmam bas Chaya Golda Chayim Gedalya haLevi ben Henya
Since the tehillim group is not meeting again until after COVID, following is a link to the prayers for good health and healing that you can recite for our ailing members
Due to the increased number of cases nationwide mask wearing is recommended but not mandatory. Vaccination including booster immunizations are highly recommended.
Masks are optional for all minyanim and programs.
Out of concern for fellow shul attendees, if you are feeling sick, we ask that you please refrain from attending. Thank you for your cooperation.
Rabbi Michael Davies, Donna Moskowitz, and the Covid Task Force
Men's Mikvah at SOI
Dear Cherry Hill Community Members,
For many decades, the Sons of Israel Mikvah has been a wonderful asset to the Southern New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia Jewish communities. Since the construction of the beautiful Ohel Leah Mikvah for women in 2013, the original Mikvah has been used by men for daily, weekly, and pre-holiday immersion. Sons of Israel would like to make sure that the structure and function of the Mikvah is viable so that it remains available to all who value its presence in our community. In this vein, the synagogue leadership, chaired by Ken Panitch, together with Lee Cohen, have partnered to help strengthen the Men’s Mikvah at SOI.
To ensure the financial viability of the Mikvah, we are asking all regular users to commit to a membership fee based on their usage and pay for this membership each year prior to Pesach. While the rates in aggregate are less than the à la carte rates which are currently in place, having commitments at the beginning of the year will give the Mikvah a reliable source of income to handle the annual operations of the Mikvah.
For further information or to sign up for the package that suits your needs scan the QR code or click on the button below.
Domestic abuse is a universal public health issue that cuts across all racial, religious, socioeconomic, and gender lines. Project SARAH, the domestic violence program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) offers multi-faceted services including resource referrals, safety planning, case management, counseling, support groups, and more for victims of domestic violence and their families. As a strong proponent of preventative education and community outreach, JFCS strives to raise awareness in every corner of our community. Project SARAH’s newest initiative is a video podcast series entitled “Love Shouldn’t Hurt,” hosted by Project SARAH Coordinator Hilary Platt, a well-regarded expert on domestic violence. Three episodes of “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” have been released to date, exploring topics such as domestic abuse from a Torah perspective, how people can protect themselves against violence and intimidation, and the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse. “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” is available for free on JLink—Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey’s platform connecting the community to Jewish South Jersey through entertaining and educational virtual content—at https://www.jlink-snj.org/love-shouldnt-hurt.
Just go to smile.amazon.com, search for Congregation Sons of Israel Synagogue. Every qualifying purchase will send 0.5% of the total to our Shul. Over time, this will add up.
https://www.kosherwine.com/?rfsn=5940204.12e2a2 SOI members and affiliates can click the link to go to the JCommerce websites and purchase their products. You can support SOI through the commission we earn.
Shoprite Scrip Now Available SOI Office Monday-Friday 10-2 Yaeli Sokolic at ycsgraphix@gmail.com Flo Shulman at florence.shulman@gmail.com
Reminder: If your mailing information has been changed, please update it on our website by logging on at soicherryhill.org If you know someone who is not receving our weekly email, please let the office know The office will be open from 10-2 Monday to Wednesday, Thursday 830 -11:30am & Friday 10-2pm
